Kalen DeBoer Denies Any Link with Penn State Opening

The Alabama head coach has been a name of interest for the same position at Penn State.

Alabama Head Coach Kalen DeBoer smiling while leaving the field after the game against Eastern Illinois on November 22, 2025. | Sarah Munzenmaier/Alabama Crimson Tide on SI

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has his Crimson Tide team in the SEC title game in just his second season in Tuscaloosa after taking Washington to the College Football Playoff championship game in 2023.

Because of that DeBoer's name will be linked with high-profile jobs, including the opening at Penn State, but DeBoer denied any connections with Penn State during a Thursday press conference ahead of Alabama's SEC Championship rematch with Georgia this weekend.

"There's been any link, there's never been any conversation, there's never been any interest either way," DeBoer said. "I'm glad we can put that to bed right now."

Penn State fired James Franklin back on October 12 after a loss to Northwestern and 3-3 start to the season. While the coaching carousel has been spinning around college football with several big hirings like Lane Kiffin at LSU or Jon Sumrall at Florida, the Penn State job is still vacant. Even Franklin has found a new job at Virginia Tech.

DeBoer said he and his family are "extremely happy" at Alabama. His oldest daughter, Alexis, plays softball at Washington, but his younger daughter is still grade-school age in Tuscaloosa. His daughters, along with his wife Nicole, were on the sideline for the Crimson Tide's Iron Bowl victory in Auburn.

"We are extremely happy here," DeBoer added. "Love the challenge. Love the grind. Love this place."

Nov 29, 2025; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer celebrates with his wife and daughters after Alabama defeated Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News | Gary Cosby Jr.-Tuscaloosa News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

DeBoer was hired at Alabama on Jan. 12, 2024 to replace the legendary coach Nick Saban. He went 9-4 in his first season in Tuscaloosa, falling one spot short of the College Football Playoff. This season, Alabama went 10-2 (7-1 SEC) and is back in Atlanta for the opportunity to win its fourth SEC title in the last six years. Overall, DeBoer is 123-18 as a head coach dating back to his days at Sioux Falls, Fresno State and Washington.

He is now fully focused on coaching in his first SEC title game with a spot in the CFP on the line.

"This is a huge deal for us," DeBoer said. "All the questions that are getting asked about the playoffs, we are completely focused on the excitement of playing for the SEC championship because that's the epitome of all championships. Just excited about what this means to our program, how important it is and wanting to carry on the tradition of what's been done in the past."